Mr. Chan's Clinic

Taking Care of Your Skin in Your 40s to Restore a Youthful Appearance

Nov 21, 2017 10:33:00 AM / by Mr. Fuan Chan

I have said it before, but your skin really is the foundation of looking good, and looking good for longer. This is true no matter what age you are, and people often take it for granted. Great, healthy skin is about more than just the absence of wrinkles too, and what is often overlooked is that skin tone (which encompasses aspects such as clarity, evenness and smoothness, as well as firmness and ‘bounce’) goes a long way towards making us look youthful, even as we enter our 40s.

The ageing process, and our lifestyles, gradually wear away at the fresh, even tone that skin often has when we are young. Things such as daily sun damage, pollution, and exposure to damaging free radicals, all impact on skin's structure and its appearance.

There's even more of an onslaught, as bad diet, stress, excessive caffeine consumption, too much sugar, etc, all impact the skin and, as a result, how we look. In short, with skin undergoing such attacks day after day, it's not surprising that it becomes dull and tired-looking when we reach our 30s, and things continue to deteriorate in the following decade.

When we are in our 20s, generally speaking our skin looks good and a basic, solid skincare regime is often all it takes to keep it bright and happy. In our 30s, a bit more of a maintenance routine begins to be required - regular exfoliation, perhaps some gentle peels, as well as the addition of more active skincare such as cosmeceuticals should all be considered.

As you move into your 40s, you should be looking at making an active effort to preserve your complexion. The aim should be to look good - not necessarily younger - just great for your age. Maintenance is essential too. It’s about preserving all that is good about your appearance, and perhaps tweaking just where needed.

You might feel that your skin has lost some of its glow and professionally applied chemical peels can be excellent for gently sloughing off the upper layer of dulling, dead skin. They can also address the early signs of pigmentation – and if you commit to a solid skincare regime, and use a quality SPF every, yes every day, you can help to retain the results. If I were to give anyone advice for caring for their skin it would be to use a broad spectrum SPF every day.

Also, aside from skin texture and tone, things can start to sag a little in our forties. We can’t escape gravity. The skin's building blocks begin to diminish around now and that gravity – as well as half a lifetime of facial expressions - can cause some slacking, particularly around the jaw and chin.

You may feel that the need for cosmetic surgery is still a few years away yet, but if sagging is a concern and is causing you to lose self-confidence in your appearance, you could consider a non-surgical treatment called a threadlift.

It's a temporary but very effective measure, and the effects last for about a year and a half (the treatment can then be repeated if desired). Special threads made of polylactic acid are inserted into the face, and are pulled up to give a lifted appearance to the contours of the face, restoring a naturally youthful look.

In our 40s, fine lines can also start to develop into deeper wrinkles. Injectables are very good at this point to address the deeper lines, temporarily softening them out and restoring a youthful look.

I would tend to use a little Botox on deeper expression lines, where needed, and then perhaps introduce some hyaluronic-acid based dermal fillers. Dermal fillers can gently restore volume to areas that may be losing some definition or plumpness, and they are also very good at softening any furrows. They can also, of course, restore a youthful fullness to the lips.

Small steps taken at this stage can really do significant work to retain a youthful appearance in your 40s and beyond. A less-is-more approach is, I feel, both practical and successful, and further cosmetic treatments such as a facelift or neck lift can always be introduced as and when they are needed.

If you would like to find out more about restoring a youthful appearance and keeping your skin healthy into your 40s, I can advise on the best options for you. Contact us to arrange a consultation.

Find out all you need to know about the steps towards facial rejuvenation by downloading my Ten Year Beauty Plan eBook below:

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IRISH CONSULTANT PLASTIC SURGEON

Mr.Fuan ChanMD FRCSI(Plast)

Mr. Fuan Chan is a fully accredited consultant plastic surgeon. He has been based in Dublin, Ireland since 1997. Fully committed to providing individualized patient care starting from the first consultation right through to the post-operative recovery and follow-up period.